


Your Life Over Mine

by Ghastly_Ghostly



Category: The Front Bottoms
Genre: Eventual Smut, Explicit Language, Fluff and Angst, I'm Sorry, M/M, Minor Violence, Recreational Drug Use, Trans Character, Trans Mat, Transphobia, Underage Drinking, hopefully not too much angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-01
Updated: 2016-03-26
Packaged: 2018-05-17 14:41:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5874526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ghastly_Ghostly/pseuds/Ghastly_Ghostly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based in the I Hate My Friends era (2008-2009), Brian and Mat are just emerging as musicians. Mat is also struggling with his identity and Brian just wants to help. </p>
<p>(In which Brian tries too hard and Mat is just trying to figure this whole thing out.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Funny You Should Ask

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was kind of prompted by oops-i-finished-another-season on tumblr. I had always wanted to do a trans character fic, seeing as I myself am a trans boy so it kind if just worked out that way. Obviously I don't own these characters as these are real people and I'm just a sinner. I hope you enjoy!

The warm June air rustled Mat's long dark hair. New Jersey was distastefully humid tonight as he shielded his eyes from the headlights turning into the parking lot. Mat mumbled statistics under his breath (one in twelve transgender people are murdered for being transgender) repeatedly as he stood outside of the grocery store, waiting for his best friend to leave work. He scanned the area with his dark eyes; at this time of night his iris's were just large black saucers. Brian had taken it pretty well when Mat had spilled his guts about a month ago; he was grateful for his best friend. 

B had immediately started using the correct pronouns and Mat's chosen name. Well, when they were alone he did. Mat hadn't exactly come out to his parents yet, and he wasn't sure if he would any time soon. His birthday was nearing and he planned to move out the second he was eighteen. In his own place, Mat could start gender therapy and hormone replacement therapy as quick as possible, and that was all that Mat cared about.  


The store doors squeaked open to spit out his best friend. Brian looked especially rugged, his curly brown hair plastered to his forehead with sweat, and his uniform was wrinkled and clinging to his slightly pale skin.  


"Hey man, rough night?" Mat smirked and gestured to Brian. Brian just sighed and shrugged.  


"Cheryl insisted I train the new guy, and lemme tell you, he never shuts up. I swear I'm going to start bringing ear plugs," He wiped the sweat from his face and stepped in beside Mat as they began their trek to the bus stop.  


"I think I have a pair at home that I could bring you," Mat offered, watching his shoes as he walked.  


"Thanks man, but I'd probably get in trouble if I actually did that," Brian huffed, bumping purposely into Mat.  


Mat glanced up at Brian and smiled, his dark brown eyes catching the light from a street lamp. "Yeah probably, but that job sucks anyway so I wouldn't really count it as a loss." Brian nodded and smiled back, offering his hand for his best friend to take. Mat shifted uncomfortably for a moment, checking to see who was around before taking Brian's hand. It wasn't Brian's fault that Mat was annoyingly paranoid, but it still hurt Brian that Mat had hesitated.  


Brian squeezed the other man's hand, glancing over at him with worry written across his features, "look, we don't have to hold hands if you don't want, I just thought it would be nice. You know, the whole buddy system and all."  


Mat shook his head and smiled, squeezing Brian's hand back before swinging his arm slightly, "nah, it's okay, I like holding hands, I just worry that we're going to get mugged or murdered or something."  


Brian smirked, "why would we get murdered for holding hands?" He stopped them as they came to the bus stop. The bench was covered in some unknown substance, so they opted to stand instead.  


"I mean, considering we look like a gay couple, and we live in Jersey, I'd say I have every right to worry about getting shot because we're holding hands."  


Brian quirked an eyebrow before shrugging, "I guess you have a point, but don't worry, I'll protect you Checkers." Mat smiled at his childhood nickname and nodded.  


The bus ride home was quiet. The only other person on the bus was an older man. His hair was receding, and his green eyes drooped as he turned the page of the book he had cradled in his lap. Mat sat with his leg touching Brian's, a habit he had picked up some years before. To occupy his mind, he counted the number of street lights that they passed. Finally, the bus screeched to a halt on their street. Brian stood and let Mat out of the seat first before following him off of the rickety bus.  


"So I picked up some new slasher movies the other day, wanna watch them?" Brian smirked over at the shorter of the two, his eyes alight with excitement. It wasn't very often that Mat got to stay the night. Between the fact that Mat and Brian's parents were against Mat and Brian being alone over night (They all assumed Mat and Brian were banging, which was totally wrong. Brian was just Mat's friend), and the fact that Brian usually worked over-night shifts, they hardly got to spend time together anymore.  


Mat smiled brightly, his white teeth showing in the dim light, "hell yeah, dude." He paused and furrowed his eyebrows, "and you're sure your parents won't be home tonight?"  


Brian chuckled at his worrisome friend, opening his front door for them both, "yeah, I promise no one is home. They're all on some trip but I had to stay behind to work. It's totally safe!" He ushered Mat inside and locked the door behind them. Brian wasn't the paranoid type, but he also wasn't stupid enough to leave his door unlocked. They shucked off their shoes and made their way into the kitchen.  


"So, I think there's some spaghetti in here I could make, is that okay?" Brian asked, his voice mumbled as he pushed his way farther into the fridge, looking for hamburger of some sort. Mat watched from his seat at the table and shrugged.  


"We could just order pizza, you know you don't cook worth a shit, man." Mat giggled as he dodged the stick of butter that Brian had chucked his way. "Oh come on, you know it's true! Remember that time with the burgers? They called the fire department, Brian. The fire department."  


Brian shrugged and closed the refrigerator, turning to look over at Mat. "Okay, but you're paying," he raised an eyebrow and ran a hand through his hair. Mat flashed a grin and bounced in his seat as he pulled his phone from his jeans pocket and proceeded to order two large pizzas. They probably didn't need that much, but Mat wasn't prepared to fight Brian for the last slice.

Half an hour later they were both perched on the family couch, the sounds of screaming filled the air. Brian placed a half eaten slice of pizza back in the box and began rummaging through some stuff on the coffee table. He made a sort of 'aha' noise when he pulled a small green tin from behind a stack of movie cases. Mat practically purred in his throat at the sight of the weed tin. Brian filled a bowl for the both of them and handed it to Mat.

"You're gonna let me hit the greens?" Mat smiled and watched Brian curiously. He had to make sure that Brian had handed it to him first on purpose.

Brian tore his eyes from the screen for a moment before looking back to the movie, 'yeah man, go for it."

Mat's lips curled in the glow of his lighter and he took a long drag, holding the smoke in for a fair amount of time before exhaling a large cloud of smoke. He handed his friend the pipe and smiled, taking a swig of his water. He wouldn't exactly call himself a stoner. He didn't smoke very often, but when he did, he really enjoyed himself. He liked weed enough, but what he usually liked more was how cuddly Brian got.

The older boy smiled and exhaled a plume of smoke across Mat's face. Mat shuddered and gave his friend a glazed look. After finishing about two more bowls, both boys were laying on the floor, the movie completely forgotten.

"Hey Mat, can I ask you something? You don't have to answer if you don’t want to, I'm just curious."

Mat nodded, his eyes closed in a picture of bliss, "yeah, go for it."

Brian stayed quiet for a moment, deliberating whether or not to actually ask the question. He bit his lip and closed his eyes, not sure if he would upset Mat with his invasiveness. "So, does it, you know, bother you to…" Brian exhaled and rushed the rest of his question, "to you know, masturbate? Does it depress you?" He squeezed his eyes shut, hoping that if he wished hard enough, he could take back what he just said.

Mat was silent for a while, so long that Brian assumed that he had gotten mad and fallen asleep. When Mat did talk though, it was quiet and rough. "Sometimes. Sometimes it gets so bad that I want to die. Other times though it's okay. I just shut my eyes the whole time. He looked over at Brian to see his reaction. Brian smiled slightly and nodded, relieved that he hadn't upset his friend.

"Sorry if that was intrusive, it's just that I was jerking the other day and I was wondering if it ever upset you to do that."

Mat snorted, sitting up and looking at Brian, his glassy eyes half-lidded, "dude, you think about me when you masturbate? Holy Shit."

Brian's face turned a deep shade of red and he covered his face quickly to hide it. "No man! I swear it wasn't like that!"

Mat smirked and tried to pull Brian's hands from over his face, "oh it wasn't? Are you sure? I can imagine it now, I bet you were even saying my name and everything!" The younger boy teased, making kissy faces. Brian kept a vice grip over his face, refusing to look at Mat. He stayed quiet for a moment, not moving. The silence worried Mat, had he said something wrong? "Brian? Look man, I'm sorry if I made it weird, I was just fucking around. I swear I didn't mean anything by it. Brian. Come on, talk to me."

Brian groaned and uncovered his face, looking over at the small-framed boy. "Yeah, I know. It's fine. Look, why don’t we just drop the subject. I'm tired, we should sleep." He stood and offered his hand to Mat who took it with a worried look. The boys remained quiet as they headed to Brian's room. The kind of awkward silence that causes a ringing in your ears and a palpitation in your heart.

Brian tossed Mat a few pillows and a blanket before crawling into bed. His back was turned to Mat as he settled in. Mat stood there unsure what to do for a moment before laying on the floor. Usually they shared a bed, but he wasn't sure if Brian would be okay with that right now, so he stuck to the floor. It was uncomfortable, but not as uncomfortable as it would be to lay next to a pissed off Brian.

  


\----

  


Brian awoke to the sounds of sizzling and a new age punk group. He slowly sat up and pushed the sweaty hair from his face. Looking down he noticed that Mat had folded his blanket and placed the pillows ontop of it. The smell of bacon wafted through the house to Brian's room and sent his mouth watering. He slowly dragged himself from the comfort of his bed and into the kitchen where Mat stood at the stove, flipping pancakes.

"Hey, I see you found something edible, nice job," Brian voiced over the loud music. He scratched his stomach and stumbled over to the fridge, removing a carton of orange juice and chugging it. Putting it back, Brian retrieved two plates and forks, setting them by the stove.

Mat glanced up at Brian before turning the music down, "nice to know you're talking to me again." He went back to plating the bacon and pancakes, his hair tied back in a rubber band. Brian knew he had been a jerk last night, but he wasn't exactly sure how to fix it. What Mat had said had struck a chord with him, because yeah, he DID say Mat's name when he came.

"Look man, I'm really sorry about last night. Do we have syrup?" Brian turned away red faced and began his search for syrup. He tried his best not to look at Mat as he slid by him to open up cabinets. Finally he pulled a small bottle of maple syrup from above the stove and held it triumphantly. Mat just frowned.

"Dude you made me sleep on the floor. You're an asshole."

Brian sat down at the table and began to pour an unhealthy amount of syrup over his mountain of pancakes. The man across from him sat glaring, his foot tapping a rhythm out against the table. "Technically I didn't make you sleep on the floor, you chose to do that yourself, Checkers."

Mat stared at Brian in astonishment, "you threw me a pillow and blanket then rolled over and wouldn't talk to me. It was very implied that I was unwelcome to sleep next to you."

Brian sighed and knitted his eyebrows, focusing on chewing his bacon carefully before answering, "you didn't have to sleep on the floor. I shouldn't have been such a dick to you. I promise you I'm sorry."

Mat just nodded and continued to eat in silence. Brian finished his food quickly and put his plate in the sink. Mat soon followed, and then it was just them. Sitting in the living room in complete silence. Mat sat with his legs curled underneath him, his head resting on the back of the couch. Brian admired him from where he sat, two cushions away. They sat like that for about twenty minutes before Brian's voice broke through the air.

"Wanna smoke a bowl?"

"Oh god yes."  


 


	2. We Could Go Swimmin', Swimmin'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am a sinner and I apologize. Also, I took on a second beta to help with this work, the first beta is going through some things right now, so the second beta volunteered to help. Thank you tumblr user noshoesella, you're a dear. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, even though it's trash. It's a filler chapter to introduce things into play so that I can get the ball rolling on all of the major plot points that I have planned. Expect chapter three in less than a week.This chapter was not beta'd, so please excuse any errors. Enjoy. Also, feedback would be lovely.

Mat was sweaty. His arms ached, and he was pretty sure he had a bruise forming on his thigh from missing the snare with his stick. He watched as Brian chugged from a water bottle, his Adam's apple bobbing with gulps of water.  Mat stood and ran a hand through his greasy hair, starting toward Brian.

"Bri, we've been practicing since this morning. Can we grab something to eat and go swimming now?" Mat whined, putting on his best pouty face for his friend.

Brian contemplated what Mat had said for a moment before nodding, putting his baseball cap on, "yeah, sure, what sounds good?" He smirked and headed for the stairs. The basement was dim and smelled slightly funny, but it worked out well for their band practices. Mat followed him up the stairs.

He tried hard to keep his eyes averted as they ascended, but it was a huge challenge, seeing as Brian's ass was just _right_ there. He blushed and closed the basement door behind them, "uh, burgers sound good, what do you think?"

Brian nodded and grabbed his keys, ushering them out into the sunny, breezy weather. The wind played with the older boy's hair, long strands fluttering against a suburban backdrop. Mat crawled into Brian's car, pushing aside old pop cans and dirty laundry.

The drive was full of Brian's voice as he explained an idea for a new song that he wanted to write. Mat tried his hardest to listen, but his mind was stuck on how hungry he was, and how he couldn't wait to go swimming.

"Mat? Hello? Are you even listening?" Brian waved his hand in front of the smaller boy's face, causing him to jump.

"Yeah? Sorry, what were you saying?" Mat ran a hand over his face, focusing his attention back onto his best friend.

Brian continued his speech on how he thought they should have Brian Uychich play in the band, he even kept talking about it as he ordered their food. If Mat hadn't known Brian basically his whole life, it would have impressed him. Brian could out-talk an auctioneer.

Twenty minutes later, the boys were sitting at a picnic table at the lake, burger wrappers littered the space between them. It had been about a week since the masturbation question incident, and Brian had repeatedly apologized for 'making Mat sleep on the floor', even though he was pretty sure that it was Mat just overreacting. Things were good between them again, and they'd even written a new song. Mat wanted to call it "Mother's Day", but Brian insisted on calling it "Hooped Earrings". Mat didn't argue.

They were the only ones on this side of the lake. The body of water stretched wide, and the other side was about a mile away. Mat perked his ears for bird chirps, smiling every so often when he heard one.

"You know, no one would be able to see or hear us if we were to get murdered right now," Mat mumbled between a mouthful of veggie burger. He scanned the area quickly, too paranoid for his own good.

"Checkers, if you don't stop talking with your mouth full, the only killer around will be me," Brian teased, wiping his mouth with one of their many napkins.

Mat swallowed his food and cleared up their mess, tossing the trash into a nearby receptacle.  He began removing his pants to reveal swim trunks that hung lose on his small frame. He smirked as he pulled his shirt over his head and dropped it onto the sand. He laughed at Brian who had at first looked really embarrassed, but now held a look of confusion.

"It's a chest binder, it flattens my chest," the younger boy explained through his laughter. Understanding dawned on his friend's face, a smile spreading. "Come swim with me, Bri."

He didn't wait for a response before running full speed for the cool water. The waves were an escape from the unforgiving sun, they lapped against Mat's neck as he swam for deeper waters. Brian soon joined him, his curls sticking to his forehead and getting in his eyes.

Mat resisted the urge to move the hair from his friend's face, "you really should get a haircut, dude, you're starting to resemble a mop."

Brian rolled his eyes and splashed at the smaller boy, his lips pulled up in a wide smile. Mat arched an eyebrow, and knowing it would happen eventually anyway, began a splashing war. Their laughter echoed across the lake and filled up the space between trees that over-looked them.

 

\----

 

Two hours later and they were laying side by side on the beach. The stars had just started to appear, and the temperature had dropped enough to be comfortable. Brian held a joint between his fingers, his eyes closed in a picture of peace. Mat sighed happily, wiping some of the sand off of his legs.

"Bri? Can I ask you a question?" Mat watched his friend, taking the joint from him. He was kind of nervous of Brian's answer, but he kept his composure calm and took a large hit. His lungs protested and he coughed for a good minute, his eyes watering.

Brian chuckled at his inexperienced friend and nodded, "yeah."

Mat took a deep breath then passed the joint back, "you see me as a boy, right? Like. You don't see me as any different from other guys, do you?"

Brian held the smoke in his lungs longer than necessary to formulate an answer. He had struggled with himself over this exact question several times before, not sure how he saw Mat. He was just his best friend in the whole world. Shaggy brown hair, deep brown eyes, a crooked smile, calloused fingers, a voice on the phone at two am when Brian was throwing up at some strangers party. Mat was, well, Mat.

"At first," Brian paused, passing his friend the joint before sitting up and brushing his hair back with his hand, "at first I didn't think that I ever could, but I realized that I had already considered you one of the guys." Mat nodded, frowning slightly. "Look, Mat, I realized that whether you went by she or he, you'd still be Mat. You'd still be you, and I was afraid at first that you wouldn't. I know now that I was dumb to ever think you'd be anyone but my best friend."

Mat smiled slowly, his gaze met Brian's before he spoke, "thanks man, that really means a lot to me. I was really scared that you wouldn’t adjust, or that you'd hate me or something. I know it's a lot to switch pronouns for me, and to switch how you think of me, and I'm very grateful for you. Thank you for trying so hard." He took another hit and let the high wash over him as Brian, relieved, laid back down next to him.

Brian stayed quiet as he finished off the joint. Mat's breathing was calm and deep, his whole body relaxed. Brian turned his head to look at his friend, his eyes drawn to the smile playing out on Mat's lips. In that moment, with his mind hazy, and the stars above, and the sound of waves washing ashore, Brian was pretty sure he wanted to kiss Mat. He didn't want it to be weird, or to make Mat upset, so of course he kept to himself. Brian bit his lip and turned to look up at the deep sapphire sky.

Mat could feel the muscles in his body twitching with the high, and he giggled as the thought "your legs are going to fall off" crossed his mind.

"What's so funny, Checkers?" Brian looked over at Mat once again, his eyebrows raised in a questioning stare.

Mat's laughter quieted after a bit, and his eyes found Brian's in the dark, "Bri?"

Brian nodded and nudged the other, "Yeah?"

Mat smirked slowly and closed his eyes, "wouldn’t it be funny if you were gay too?"

Brian stammered, his eyebrows screwed together. He huffed uncomfortably, "I guess I never thought of that, but wow you're gay."

Mat burst out laughing, nodding and elbowing Brian in the process, "yeah, I'm super gay. The gayest gay to ever gay!" He stretched out on the blanket, pushing himself closer to Brian, "so, are you? You never really talk about your preference and I've never seen you date anyone."

Brian's brain raced for ways to evade this question but couldn't work fast enough before Brian's mouth uttered, "I'm actually bi, but yeah."

He could shoot himself, he swears. He wasn't even sure he was bi. He had only recently even discovered that term. He hadn't dated anyone before because, unbeknownst to Mat, Brian had been in love with him for several years.  Now Mat knew he was bi and he couldn't take it back. Before he could beat himself up even more, Mat was straddled on his waist, his bloodshot eyes peering down at him. Brian shuddered.

"So, you _do_ like boys?" Mat waited for an answer, his fingers playing with the hem of Brian's shirt. His fingers skimmed along Brian's tummy, raising goosebumps in their wake. Brian blushed and struggled not to make any noise.

"What does it matter if I do?" Brian knew he was buying time, unsure if he could handle Mat doing anything else to him. He tried to stay still as Mat's fingers trailed higher along his stomach.

Mat grinned wickedly and leaned in, his breath warm on Brian's neck, "because I like you, and if you're into guys, then there's a possibility that you like me back, right?" he buried his face against Brian's neck, unable to watch his reaction.

Brian was pretty sure that he had gotten so high that he had entered The Twilight Zone. Did Mat actually like him? How long had he liked him? Fuck he's such an oblivious asshole.

Mat nuzzled against the taller man's neck, prompting an answer from Brian, "y-yeah, I mean, it's not just a possibility I guess because I do, but yeah."

He didn't get to say anymore as Mat pulled back, victory written in his dark eyes, "then could I kiss you?"

Brian blushed and studied the smaller boy a moment before slowly nodding, raising his shaky hands to wrap around Mat's hips. Slowly leaning down, Mat placed his hands on each side of Brian's head. He was vibrating with nerves, his mind rushing from "he likes me back!" to "shit I'm actually going to kiss him."

 Their lips met softly at first, an unsure and rushed kiss. Then Brian slid his hands up to curl his fingers in Mat's hair. The noise Mat made in the back of his throat was heart stopping to Brian. He couldn't resist the urge to kiss him harder and longer. He didn't want this to ever end, he realized, as Mat licked at his lower lip. Mat fit against Brian completely, their bodies pressed tightly against the other's.

Mat ground his hips against Brian's, biting at his lower lip in the process. He was pretty sure that'd he had probably drowned earlier and that maybe he'd actually gone to heaven. The bulge against his inner thigh seemed to agree. This was heaven, if heaven were real-and came in the form of a sweaty, sand-covered , teenage boy.

Brian's phone buzzed next to him, surprising Mat enough for him to pull himself quickly off of Brian. Or, Mat thought, I actually went to hell. Brian smirked over at Mat before reading the text from his mom. _Where are you? Please get home soon. I love you, be safe._

"Mom wants me home, damn, it's already ten. I hope you don't get in trouble for staying out so late, I'm sorry." Brian flipped his phone shut and stood, offering Mat his hand.

Mat took it and stood, smiling, "even if I do get in trouble, it was worth it, thank you for today."

Brian blushed brighter and nodded. They quickly gathered their things and headed for Brian's car. Mat snuggled up to Brian, his head resting against Bri's shoulder. He hesitantly took Brian's hand and smiled up at him. Brian bit his cheek and squeezed Mat's hand, focusing on the road as he navigated traffic to get them back home.

The moon shone brightly, and the clouds were parted just enough to show its light on the two of them. The air was humming with possibility, and Mat, Mat was pretty sure that this was the beginning of something possibly disastrous, or, if he was lucky, beautiful. He hoped, with all his heart, that it was the later.

 


	3. Stop, Please, I Want to Go Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayyy I worked all through the night to bring you guys chapter three as quick as possible. Forewarning, there's some transphobia in here, if that's triggering, feel free to skip this chapter as it doesn't hold too much plot. Thank you again to queer_trash aka oops-i-finished-another-season on tumblr, and noshoesella on tumblr for being betas to this fic. The insight and feedback that you both have brought me on this chapter saved me the embarrassment of grammar mistakes galore. Expect chapter four soon. Enjoy, and as always, I thrive on feedback!

The bass thudded in his chest, and left him breathless. The room was packed full of people that he didn't really know all too well, a few friends, but mainly acquaintances or friends of friends. Solo cups littered every surface in the house, and the stench of beer was probably tangible at this point. It was extremely disconcerting, and Mat felt small against the frame of Brian who sat holding him close on the couch.

"You feelin' alright, birthday boy?" Brian grinned down at him, his eyes already guilty of the weed he'd probably smoked, and his face flushed, a product of the seven Bud Lite cans strewn about them.

Mat smiled and nodded, squeezing his hand. Eighteen. Mat replayed that fact over and over in his mind. The idea that soon, he'd be able to legally change his name. He could start hormone replacement therapy. He could transition. On the inside, Mat was doing backflips. Outward, he kept his calm appearance.

"Is there anything that I can get you? Another beer? Weed? Food?" Brian stood, shaking his eighth empty beer can and waiting for his- well, Brian didn't know what to call him. His boyfriend? His friend? They hadn't exactly talked things out. Brian just knew that he liked, well, loved, Mat, and that by some miracle, Mat liked him back. He wasn't sure if they were ready to put a label on what they had yet.

Mat nodded, showing his teeth in a wide smile to Brian, "another beer would be great, thanks." Brian nodded once then strode off in the general direction of the kitchen. Tom had been cool enough to lend Brian his house to host a party for Mat. Brian was eternally grateful to him.

Mat checked the time on his phone and slid his legs up onto the couch, folding in on himself. Brian was really good to him. Always doing things for him, making sure he was alight; Mat really appreciated him, he wasn't sure where he'd be without him.

"Hey! Happy birthday, Madeline!"

Hell no. Mat spun his head, eyeing the gaggle of tall, tan girls who were sauntering his way. If he could, Mat would have crawled into the couch cushions and disappeared completely. He'd start a colony in the couch, just him and Brian. No one would ever have to interact with them again. Instead, Mat was stuck in his spot, defenseless as the girls began seating themselves around him.

"Hey girl! Happy b-day!" A thin brunette that Mat recognized as Sarah from his senior level science class squawked. She held a solo cup in one hand and a cigarette in the other. Her long, straight hair touched the tops of her thighs as she plopped down into Brian's seat. Well, it _had_ been Brian's seat.

Mat cringed and gave her a look of _please stop._ She smiled and nudged closer, obviously too dumb to take the hint, that or she was too drunk. Either way, Mat didn't care, and wanted her to leave.

"It's Mat, and I'm not a girl," he flashed a weak grin, trying to give her the benefit of the doubt. Mat had come out publicly a couple of weeks after coming out to Brian. He started wearing his binder to school, cut his hair short (well, as short as his parents would let him, so it hung above his shoulders), and even corrected people on his name and pronouns in front of teachers. Yeah, he'd been scared in the beginning that someone would tell his parents, but it wasn't like they were around enough to hear from local teens that their child had switched pronouns.

"Oh, right, sorry Mat," she nodded, setting her cup down against a messy stack of books. Thinking twice, she arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow at him. "So, what, you're like a boy now? Did you get The Surgery? What's downstairs then?" She nodded towards his crotch, smirking. Mat wanted to vomit.

Brian should be back by now, he thought. His breath hitched and his face grew warm with blood. He was pissed. No one should care what genitalia he had. Except maybe Brian but that was a different story completely.

Mat huffed and frowned, "that's none of your business, if I'm being honest." He turned away from her, searching the crowd for his tall, curly-haired knight in shining armor. A hand on his wrist yanked him back to look at the group of girls.

"Hey, don't be so fucking rude. We're just curious. You're fascinating!" Jessica? Maybe Leah? Mat didn't remember her name, but the blonde curled her manicured nails around his wrist tighter.

"Get your fucking hands off of me, right now, please," Mat begged, trying to break free from her grip.

She smiled viciously, her pearly white teeth could have been fangs at this point to Mat, "just tell us!" She pulled him closer, "do you have a dick, or do you not, Madeline, it's that simple."

Mat whimpered and closed his eyes, knowing he'd have a bruise there in the morning.

"Get your hands off of him now, and get the _fuck_ out of this house," Brian's voice broke through, "all of you. Now. Leave."

Mat kept his eyes screwed shut, he didn't want to see their faces. The hand on his wrist grew slack, but stayed where it was.

"We were just asking her a simple question, Steven, calm down," Sarah piped up from next to him. The girls all made noises of agreement.

There was a really loud gasp, and then tiny beer droplets splattered all over Mat's face, coating his hair.

Then she screamed.

"How fucking dare you! This is a brand new outfit! I hope you have eighty dollars to repay me, jackass!"

Mat finally opened his eyes, slowly looking up at Brian. He was standing above all of the other girls, fists curled and nostrils flaring. Mat actually feared he might lash out and hit one of them, but he knew Brian had more self-control than that. Sarah was soaked in alcohol, her hair matted to her head.

"I said, to get out. Now. Leave." The girls gaped at him, open mouthed, like absent-minded fish. Mat wasn't sure if he was breathing anymore.

Brian's glare cut through them as if he had laser vision. Mat momentarily envisioned him in a Cyclops costume, running around and saving lives. He lowered his gaze to his wrist, rubbing it. His skin was tan, so bruises didn't usually show up very well, and he was happy about that. The last thing that he needed was to explain to his parents why he had a bruise encircling his bony wrist.

" _NOW_." Brian's quiet, yet assertive command was felt like a shock wave among the girls. They all scoffed and scurried toward the front door.

Brian watched them leave, making sure they were actually gone before he sat down next to Mat, concern scribbled over his features. "Mat? Oh my god, I'm so sorry. Mat I shouldn't have left you. Mat, please talk to me."

Mat could feel his heart beating way too fast, and could feel the strain on his chest as he took too many rapid breaths. He couldn't make himself look at Brian, not after being humiliated like that.

Brian gently held out his hand, touching Mat's shoulder comfortingly, "please Mat, breathe."

Mat's uneven breaths continued, as did his silence, as he kept his gaze on his beer soaked shoes.

"Breathe, god dammit," Brian frowned deeply and picked Mat up, hauling him through the mass of too drunk to care party-goers.

The taller man set him down finally, closing the bathroom door behind them. Mat could feel pain in his chest, his eyes wide and palms sweaty. He'd read about this before, he thought as he gasped for more air that would not reach his lungs, an anxiety attack. He'd never really had one before, or, at least not to this extent.

"You need to take your chest binder off, Mat, you can't breathe. Please, listen to me," Brian pleaded, bending slightly to become eye-level with his best friend.

The words finally seeped through Mat, and he met eyes with Brian before quickly shaking his head. He couldn't. He couldn't take it off. His chest would be prominent in a very populated place. There was no way he could do that. He coughed, gagging as snot began to drip from his nose.

Brian panicked and ran his hand through his hair before placing both hands on Mat's face. "Look at me, Mat. You're going to suffocate and pass out. You need to take that off. Right. Now." He wasn't trying to sound so harsh, but he wasn't sure what else to do.

After another torturous minute of Mat sob/cough/gaging, he slowly slid his t-shirt over his head, revealing the black tank top chest binder.  Brian nodded, taking the t-shirt before turning around so Mat could remove it. Finally, Mat grabbed the shirt from Brian's hands and pulled it back over his messy hair.

"You," Mat paused, blanching slightly, "you can turn back around if you want."

Brian turned to look at his friend. Mat's hair was sticking up all over the place, his cheeks wet with tears, and his bottom lip still trembling as he struggled to take normal breaths.

"We should get you home," Brian mumbled, careful to keep eye contact with the smaller, much more fragile looking boy. Mat nodded in agreement and crossed his arms over his chest, the binder rolled up in his hand. Brian sighed and nodded before opening the door with a trembling hand. He led Mat out, keeping him close by. He batted aside "goodbye hugs" for Mat and offers of more beer. Finally, in what seemed to take an hour, yet probably actually took about five minutes, Mat was out of the house, and seated in Brian's car.

They drove to Brian's in silence, the windows let in refreshing breezes every now and then. The tears had long since dried on Mat's face, leaving stains against his cheek bones. He kept his breathing normal, and occasionally glanced over at Brian.

"Look, I'm really sorry your birthday turned out like this," Brian started, worrying his bottom lip before continuing, "I didn't know that someone had invited them, Mat, I swear. I'm so sorry." He looked close to tears as he turned the corner, swerving to avoid an empty box in the road.

Mat nodded, still shaken up, "I don't blame you, Brian. I'm glad you saved me from them. Thank you." He turned to look out the window, clenching and unclenching his fists. The night zoomed by, streetlight after streetlight.

"I have something for you," Brian said quickly, biting his tongue. He wasn't sure if Mat would like his gift or if his gift was too intrusive or even if Mat would know what it was. He'd just surfed the internet until he'd found it, and now he kind of really regretted buying it.

Mat side glanced at Brian, curiosity sparking in his dark eyes, "oh? What is it?"

Brian continued driving with one hand while he dug around in the back seat a moment, finally returning with a small box. He handed the poorly wrapped gift to Mat and then proceeded to grip the steering wheel tightly.

Mat cautiously shook the box before smiling over at his best friend, "you didn't have to get me anything, Bri."

"Just open it? I'm not sure if you should actually even be thanking me." Brian gulped and made sure not to look at Mat, suddenly extremely nervous for him to open his birthday gift.

After a few moments of deliberation, Mat carefully unwrapped it until he was face to face with his gift. Or should he say face to penis.  Mat was really quiet a moment before loud laughter burst forth from him.

"You bought me a packer? Oh my god Brian this is great!" Mat smiled brightly, watching Brian, "no seriously, I love it! Thank you!"

Brian's face was flushed red as he smiled softly, "I'm really glad you like it, I was actually expecting this conversation to be a lot more awkward or angry."

Mat rolled his eyes and put the gift down beside him in the seat before leaning over and placing a chaste kiss to Brian's cheek, "this is amazing. You're amazing. Thank you."

Brian smiled the rest of the way home.


	4. 2YL

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sins, sins, sins.  
> I'm so so sorry about how late this chapter is, dears, life's been pretty intense for me lately. But I bring you a new chapter! Feedback is always encouraged! Enjoy!!
> 
> And once again, thanks so much to Jay (noshoesella) for being a genius beta!

Once they made it back to Brian's, they were in a much better mood, all tears forgotten. Brian's mom was asleep on the couch inside the dimly lit living room, a rerun of That 70's Show playing softly on the small television.  
"Shhh," Brian whispered in Mat's ear, grabbing his hand and leading him past her, both boys holding their breaths in an attempt not to wake her. They stepped lightly as they passed the bedroom doors of Brian's siblings, slipping soundlessly inside Brian's room. After closing the door, Brian smiled down at Mat, his eyes alight with something Mat couldn't quite understand.

"What?" the smaller boy mouthed to Brian, kicking off his shoes and sitting on the edge of Brian's bed. The mattress sunk slightly under his weight, making him look small on the queen sized, blanket covered bed. Brian quickly rid himself of his shoes as well and plugged his phone into the charger before seating himself beside Mat, causing the bed to creak slightly.

Brian leaned gently against him, reaching for his hand and twining their fingers together. Mat arched an eyebrow and gazed into the older boy's eyes.

"Seriously, what?" Mat said quietly, ears perked for any noise outside of the door.  
"Have I ever told you how handsome you are, Mat?" Brian mumbled, blushing a dark shade of pink before timidly rubbing the back of Mat's hand with his thumb. Mat's heart jumped, almost as if it too wanted to be closer to Brian.

"N-no, you haven't. Thank you though," he spoke slowly, not used to a compliment like that. Almost as an afterthought, he quickly added, "you are too, though."

Brian chuckled lowly and smirked, "thanks…you know I mean it though, right?"  
Mat nodded and snuggled closer to Brian who was still attached to his side. "I mean it too," he sighed, smiling softly, his chapped lips catching against his teeth.

"Can I…can I try something? If you don't like it you can tell me to stop and I promise I will," he trailed off, biting the inside of his cheek. His nerves suddenly on fire as he waited for Mat's reply.

"Uhm, yeah? Go for it," Mat's voice shook slightly, the hair on the back of his neck raising. He wasn't sure what Brian had planned, but he trusted him entirely. Brian would never hurt him, and he knew that with every atom in his body.

The room was silent except for their uneven breaths, the small window in the room was cracked slightly to let in the cool summer night air. The bed made a small noise of protest as Brian shifted his weight, grabbing Mat to lay him flush against the covers. Brian quickly situated himself to straddle the smaller boy.  
"Is this okay?" Brian's voice broke the silence, his words dripping with intention. Mat could feel the other man's weight against his hips, pinning him down. Mat nodded and slowly placed his hands on the tops of Brian's thighs. Brian's jeans were protesting against the position, but Brian paid it no mind.

Mat watched as Brian leaned down slowly, his dark hair falling in his face. Then warm, dry lips were awkwardly pressed against his own, his hand travelling up to rest against Brian's neck. Mat smiled into the kiss when his thumb found that Brian's pulse was erratic. Brian smiled back, biting gently at Mat's lower lip. Brian trailed his hands along Mat's sides before slowly edging toward his breasts, resting lightly upon them.

"Stop," Mat suddenly gasped, blushing and pushing Brian's hands from his chest.

"Oh shit, I'm sorry, fuck," Brian scrambled off of the smaller boy, putting as much space between them as he could. His face was flushed and his forehead was scrunched up in worry.

"No, it's not you, it's just.." Mat trailed off, looking down and frowning at his chest, "I hate them. I hate that part of my body and I want to forget that they exist. I'm sorry, I ruined the moment."

Brian shook his head quickly, eyes wide, "no, you didn't ruin anything I promise! I'll remember not to touch that part of your body anymore, okay?"

Mat nodded slowly, smile spreading wide, "we can still continue then, if you want.."

The taller boy bit his lip nervously, "are you sure? Is there anything else I shouldn't touch or mention?"

"Well, I don't really mind my lower half most of the time. Sometimes it really upsets me, but," he paused, nodding, "right now, it wouldn't bother me if you touched me there." Mat smirked, watching as Brian's eyes became more pupil than iris.

"Yeah?" Brian choked out, watching Mat closely, almost afraid that Mat was fucking around with him just to see his reaction.

Mat replied by crawling across the comforter to reach Brian, pressing their mouths together again. The desperate sounds Brian was making would usually embarrass him, but he didn't really have time to be embarrassed when Mat was pulling on his shirt.

"Can I take this off of you? Please?" Mat whispered shyly, keeping eye contact with Brian's dark eyes.

"God, please do," Brian smirked, helping Mat rid him of his favorite shirt, the words "Dab Religion" printed on the front. The shirt was tossed to the floor as Mat immediately latched his mouth onto Brian's tan skin, his teeth teasing at Brian's collar bones. Brian shifted to lay them back down once more, this time Mat was straddling Brian's hips.

"So you like being on top, I guess?" Brian laughed breathlessly as Mat licked a stripe up his neck.

"Why? Did you take me to be a bottom?" Mat giggled, fingers working on Brian's jeans button.  
Brian nodded before arching against the hand that cupped him outside of his pants. "I wonder what gave you that thought," Mat smirked and trailed kisses down Brian's stomach, tugging the older man's jeans down. Brian gasped loudly and helped him take off the pants.

"Well, you're usually very quiet and reserved, I just didn't expect this out of you…"

Mat met Brian's eyes, mischief written on his features, "well this will probably shock you into a heart attack then." Before Brian could respond, Mat yanked his boxers down, biting his inner thigh lightly.

"Oh, fuck," Brian arched again, his eyes screwed shut, mouth open slightly.

"That's the idea," Mat mumbled before moving his mouth to Brian's hard-on. His tongue swiped over the slit before he began mouthing at the shaft, hands gripping Brian's hips. Mat's head was racing. He'd only ever done something like this once and it wasn't very good. He hoped this time was different.

"Mat, oh fuck," Brian threaded his fingers in Mat's short, soft hair, tugging very lightly. Mat moaned softly in response, before taking Brian into his wet mouth.

Brian's thoughts became blurred, as he refrained from jerking his hips forward. It took everything he had, but he kept still as the smaller man gagged slightly, nails clawing against skin. Brian caught Mat's eyes just before Mat took him all the way into his mouth, gagging louder and swallowing around him. Brian's needy moan was forcefully kept quiet. The last thing he needed was for his mom or siblings to walk in on this.

"Your mouth is my favorite," Brian panted, gripping Mat's hair tighter in his hand. Mat moaned in response, pressing his palm against Brian's balls, meeting Brian's eyes. This time, Brian actually jerked upward, throwing his head back against the pillow.

Without warning, Mat pulled off, standing and reaching to undo his jeans. Brian lifted himself to lean on his elbows, eyes trailing over Mat. Wordlessly, Mat dropped his pants to the floor, revealing his black boxer briefs.

"Damn, and I thought it was your birthday, not mine," Brian smirked, running a hand through his messy hair. Mat huffed a laugh before chewing his lip thoughtfully. He was a bit scared to remove his underwear, the finality of it seemed terrifying.

"It is, and you're my present," Mat blushed, then with determination, slid the briefs off, stepping closer to the bed, his t-shirt the only clothing item he still wore.

"Oh fuck me," Brian breathed, eyes closed.

"Do you have…you know, any condoms?" Mat asked shakily, goosebumps raising on his arms and legs.  
Brian nodded quickly, sitting up and digging some out of his messy nightstand drawer. He tore one open and unrolled it over himself. Mat nodded and pushed him onto his back once more, crawling up to kneel over his waist.

"Are you sure?" Brian questioned, eyes wide, fingers trailing over the hair on Mat's legs.

"About you? Yeah," Mat smiled before leaning forward to press a kiss to Brian's forehead before slowly sinking down onto his erection. Brian had to bite his tongue hard not to make any noise, his legs trembling with the effort not to move. Mat was breathing raggedly against his neck, his legs encompassing Brian's hips.

"Fuck, Bri," Mat mumbled against Brian's throat, before slowly lifting himself up, only to sink back down again.

"Yeah, fuck," Brian agreed, kissing Mat deeply, licking into his mouth. Mat moaned softly, hands braced on Brian's chest.

The house was quiet, reassuring them that no one was awake to barge in on them. Mat groaned before leaning back, bracing himself against Brian before moving at a quicker pace. His back arched as he bit his lip and locked eyes with Brian.

"So god damn hot," Brian muttered, eyes rolling in the back of his head. He huffed and rested his hands on Mat's thighs, jerking upwards to meet the younger boy's thrusts. Giggling, Mat breathlessly circled his hips, clenching around Brian. Brian had to turn his head and bury his face against the pillow to muffle his moan.

"Love how you feel," Mat whispered. Sweat began to bead on his forehead, his legs trembling with the effort to keep him up.

With that, Brian bit back a scream, arching off of the bed and coming, his mouth open and eyes squeezed shut. I could get used to seeing that face, Mat thought, before following closely with his own orgasm.  
Mat stayed still, feeling Brian soften before crawling off of Brian's lap. Brian blushed and slid the condom off, tossing it in the trash.

"I'm sleepy," Mat smiled over at Brian, pulling him closer and burying his face into the crook of Brian's neck.

"Then sleep," Brian grinned back and pulled the covers over them, entwining their legs.

"Okay…goodnight, Bri," Mat spoke quietly, muffled by Brian's throat.

"Goodnight, Matty."

Brian laid awake for a while longer, long after Mat's breathing had evened out. Long after the moon had risen enough to peer through his curtains. Long after his arm underneath Mat had fallen asleep. Brian's eyes stayed wide open though, his gaze occasionally drifting across the fragile boy he held close.

His insides felt like mush, and much like his thoughts, he felt sloppy. His skin felt cool with drying sweat. Mat shifted closer to him in his sleep, his nose pressed against Brian's jaw. He smiled and closed his eyes finally, letting himself relax.

"I think I'm in love with you," was the last thing Brian heard himself say before he passed out.


	5. Father

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh gosh I'm so sorry about how late this update is! This chapter was disappointingly short and I apologize beforehand. Thanks once again to my most incredible beta noshoesella for being fantastic. Feedback is always welcome and encouraged!

Brian hadn't meant to slip up. He honestly hadn't. The deed was done though, and there wasn't anyway to undo it. He frowned deeply to himself and crossed his arms, meeting the glare of Mat's father.

"You're telling me my daughter is a transgendered?" 

Brian's nostrils flared, and he glanced over at Mat's mother who hung back behind her husband, her eyes downcast.

"Answer me, Sella, this better be a joke." Mat's fathers eyebrows screwed together, causing his red face to wrinkle up in anger and distaste.

Brian wasn't even sure how this had escalated so quickly, one minute he had been talking about Mat to Mat's parents over dinner, and the next, he was under the scrutinization of angry parents. Mat had gone to the bathroom, when Brian slipped and mentioned the gender therapists that Mat had been considering.

"Sorry sir, it was, I didn't mean any harm," Brian stuttered, his cheeks flushing deep pink. His nervous fidgeting only got worse as Mat sat himself down at the dinner table.

Smiling cautiously, Mat eyed the others, "what are we all mad about?" 

Brian hung his head in shame and scraped his fork through the pasta on his plate. He'd give anything to erase the last five minutes. 

"Brian was making a joke about you being a transgendered, I'm glad it's just a joke though, you'd be an awful man, sweetie," Mat's dad chuckled and added more bread onto his plate, unaware of his son's inner turmoil.

Brian finally glanced up to meet Mat's hurt gaze, his deep brown eyes wide and teary. Brian felt like utter human trash, and wished he could just get up and leave. He didn't of course, and kept his gaze on Mat's like the masochist he was.

"It's transgender, not transgendered," Mat spoke softly, still meeting Brian's eyes.

"It's wrong is what it is," his father grunted, looking between Mat and Brian, "why the hell do you care anyway?"

Mat's gaze finally lowered, his mind running through all the possible outcomes of telling his parents that he was trans. His dad could kick him out, or hurt Mat, or maybe even hurt Brian. He couldn't handle that. On the other hand, Mat was tired of hiding. He was tired of pretending to be their daughter. He was graduated, eighteen, and free, he should be able to deal with this.

"It's not wrong, I'm not wrong," Mat stated firmly, his stare set on his father. 

The room was silent a moment before Mat's mother excused herself from the table, grabbing her wine and leaving.

"What do you mean by that?"

Brian swallowed hard, his breathing erratic. He sat on the edge of his chair, prepared to launch himself in the way to protect Mat at any second. His teeth caught on his bottom lip, and his hand began throbbing from holding onto his fork a little too tightly.

Mat's chair scraped the linoleum as he stood, hands hanging loosely at his sides, "It means that I'm one of those transgendereds," at this, Mat made air quotations, " that you hate so much, and it means that there is nothing wrong with the way I am."

His father's eyes flared, a dark, hateful green. Mat didn't have time to react before the table was flipping in his direction, splattering pasta across the room. Brian had a large noodle plastered to his shirt, and alfredo sauce droplets resting on the curls of his hair.

"Get out of my house. Grab your things and leave. You're eighteen aren't ya? What are you waiting for?"

The blood was roaring in Mat's ears as the words finally sunk in, "fine."

Brian stood quietly and followed Mat to his bedroom. Closing the door behind him, he focused on Mat, who was already shoving all of his clothes into a suitcase without even bothering to fold them. The smaller man's face was hidden by his hair, his actions were jerky and sporadic. Brian honestly couldn't believe that he was the cause of all of this.

Sighing and shutting his eyes, Brian finally spoke, "Mat, I'm sorry."

"Saying sorry doesn't make my father love me, Brian, so if you're trying to be helpful, I'd appreciate some help with packing," Mat said tight-lipped, his chest heaving as he pulled out another, larger suitcase.

Brian complied and guiltily began to stuff odds and ends into the suitcase. Mat occasionally shot side glances at the taller man, just thankful that the only damage he had taken was pasta to the face. Mat was thankful that he wasn't alone right now, it gave him the anger and motivation to keep packing instead of begging for forgiveness from his dad. He ran a hand through his messy hair before closing the second suitcase. 

"That's all I need right now, we should get going," he spoke softly, holding back tears. 

Brian's heart was stuck in his throat, his knuckles white from gripping the suitcase handle so roughly, "okay."

They quickly exited the room, dodging the daggers they could feel shooting from Mat's father's eyes.

It didn't fully sink in that Mat was being kicked out until he was sitting next to Brian in the car, his stuff shoved carelessly in the trunk.

Brian was quiet for most of the drive, unsure of what to say to make it better. There weren't any words right now that could take back what he had done. Now Mat was homeless, and it was all his fault. Why couldn't he ever keep his mouth closed?

"I'm not mad at you, if that's what you think," Mat finally whispered, his head resting against the window, his eyes closed.

Brian took a deep breath, and it felt like the first intake of air that he had taken in hours. Carefully, he spoke, "I'm the reason you got kicked out. I told him about the gender therapists. I don't even know why I did it. I was just so excited for you I guess it didn't even dawn on me that they didn't know."

"I never told you specifically not to tell them, it's not your fault, they would have figured it out eventually when I started hormone replacement therapy, honestly. Please don't blame yourself, Bri."

Mat finally opened his eyes and smiled weakly. Brian nodded stiffly, still unconvinced that this whole fiasco wasn't his doing.

"Hey," Mat slipped his hand from his lap and onto Brian's shoulder, "I promise you, I'm not mad at you."

"If you say so," Brian whispered, turning into his driveway, "you can stay here as long as you need to, I'm sure my mom will understand your circumstances."

Mat leaned over slowly and placed a chaste kiss to Brian's mouth before opening his door, "thank you."

Brian led them inside and explained everything to his concerned mother. After the tale had been told, Mat was enveloped into an inescapable mom hug.

"Oh honey, you can stay as long as you need to! I'll grab some blankets and you can sleep on the couch tonight," Brian's mother vanished to scour the linen closet.

"The couch?" Mat muttered sadly to himself, sipping at the tea that someone had handed to him during the story-telling.

"Don't worry, you can sneak into my room later," Brian mumbled, smiling softly over the shorter of the two. Mat nodded and downed the tea. 

Brian's mother soon returned with a sheet, two pillows and a thin blanket, "here you go, dear, I'm off to bed, but don't be afraid to ask Brian for anything you need!" She smiled and kissed both of their foreheads before sauntering off toward her bedroom.

"She falls asleep pretty quickly so it should be fine, just make the couch up like you're going to sleep on it then come to my room, okay?" Brian fidgeted, smiling gently over at Mat.

"Okay, I'll be there in a little bit then," Mat nodded and headed off to dress up the couch for sleep that he wasn't going to be getting there.

After about fifteen minutes, Mat made his way into Brian's room, shutting the door behind him as quietly as possible. Brian sat on the bed, waiting for him.

"Hi," Brian spoke softly, gesturing for Mat to join him on the bed.

Mat nodded and glanced down before striding over and plopping a seat next to him, "hi."

Brian didn't wait, just wrapped Mat into a hug, burying his face against Mat's throat. The action sent goosebumps across Mat's tan skin, the hair on his arms standing up.

He leaned them back until they were laying flat on the bed, arms and legs entwined. He felt safe and loved, knowing that Brian was there to protect him. 

"I love you too, by the way," Mat said so quietly that he wasn't even sure if the other boy had heard him.

Brian shifted to look up at him, confusion playing a role across his features, "what?"

Mat smiled and kissed the tip of his nose, "I heard you the other night, you thought I was completely unconscious. I heard you though, and I love you too."

Brian blushed and bent his head, meeting Mat in a short but heated kiss, "I'm glad you love me back."

Mat nodded and pulled him closer, closing his eyes, "I'm glad that you love me," he sighed and relaxed finally, snuggled close enough to Brian to smell him. The older boy smelled like the beach, sweat, and somehow, chocolate. It was a scent that Mat loved, and he hoped he'd never forget it.


End file.
